Rosemarie "Sis" Erdmann, 91, , a former resident of Hinsdale, passed away peacefully July 20, 2020.
Sis was born in 1929, in Detroit to Libbie and Paul Pokorny. She received her degree in dental hygiene from the University of Michigan in 1951. She married E. Thomas (Tom) Erdmann Jr. in 1953. Sis was a resident of Hinsdale and Burr Ridge for nearly 60 years.
For years, Sis worked in Hinsdale as a dental hygienist at the office of Dr. Donald Thorne, DDS. Her chairside manner and her sincere attentiveness to the needs of her patients, many of whom became friends, were hallmarks of her care. She was an active member of Union Church of Hinsdale, consistently lending a hand to church events, and was a lay visitor to many around town. Sis was an early member of the Hinsdale Book Study club and was a voracious reader to the end.
Sis had a natural green thumb and passion for gardening. There wasn't a plant she couldn't nurse back to health, and she enthusiastically tended countless pots and garden beds each summer. She was a natural athlete and an avid tennis player and swimmer for much of her life. Being outdoors, feeling the warmth of the sun, was her favorite place to be.
Sis was a genuine, kind-hearted person, who took an sincere interest in everyone she met along her journey. She was eternally optimistic and had a wonderful sense of humor. Her early onset macular degeneration left her with significant visual impairment, but it did not slow Sis down one bit. She continued to be an ever-present force in Hinsdale, frequently setting off on foot to do her errands and encountering all she met with a big smile and sincere, happy greeting. Her grace and tenacity in the face of her vision challenges is a model to all and a testament to her unwavering character.
Her spirit will live on in the hearts of her family and friends. The family would like to express its heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to the countless caregivers at King Bruwaert House, All Trust Home Care and Angels Grace Hospice who all provided a loving environment during Sis' final years. Sis is preceded in death by her husband of nearly 50 years, Tom.
She is survived by her children, Tom (Juli) and Liz; her grandchildren, Thomas and Abby; and many nieces and nephews.
No memorial services are planned at the moment, but the family hopes to celebrate her life when it is safe to do so.
In lieu of flowers, memorials be made to Union Church of Hinsdale, 137 S. Garfield Ave., Hinsdale, IL 60521; the Foundation Fighting Blindness at https://www.fightingblindness.org or a charity of one's choice.
